Matthias Egger, President of the National Research Council of SNSF, said that the private foundation will launch an emergency call for proposals on research into coronaviruses on March 6, 2020 with a submission deadline at the end of March.
The letter published on Twitter states that “research proposals should have the potential to contribute to the understanding of the virus or to improve the clinical or public health response within a timeframe of two years.”
This is the first time that the SNSF has launched a call for proposals in response to an emergency and based on what it learns in this experience it plans to develop criteria to define when and how to react to future emergencies.
The SNSF was founded on August 1, 1952 with a mandate by the federal government. It aims to provide financial support for research projects in all academic disciplines and promote young scientists. With its mandate from the federal government to fund research and promote young scientists in Switzerland, the foundation supports approximately 8,500 researchers every year.
On Thursday, the Swiss authorities confirmed three new coronavirus cases on Thursday, taking the total to four across the country. Ten laboratories in Switzerland can currently carry out coronavirus tests.
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Coronavirus cases are spreading in Switzerland
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Federal authorities are taking unprecedented measures to contain the virus.
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Switzerland must join NATO, as in the future it cannot rely on its long-standing tradition of neutrality for its defence, John Bolton, Donald Trump's former national security adviser, declared in an interview on Sunday.
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A demonstration was held in Geneva on Sunday calling for an immediate end to the war in Ukraine. Around 50 Russians took part in the gathering outside the United Nations building to mark 1,000 days since the start of Russia's war of aggression in Ukraine.
Swiss cantons have killed 39 wolves so far this autumn
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In mid-November, 35 packs of three or more wolves were detected in Switzerland. At least eight of them may be eliminated during the current hunting season. So far, at least 39 wolves have been shot in Graubünden, Valais, Vaud and St. Gallen.
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Pierre-Yves Maillard, president of the Swiss Trade Union Confederation, sees no agreement in sight in negotiations with the European Union.
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The "Dubai chocolate" has also caused a rush in Switzerland: queues formed outside the Lindt chocolate factory in Kilchberg, canton Zurich, on Saturday morning.
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Stargazers currently have the chance to spot shooting stars in the night sky. Until November 30, the Leonid meteor shower is lighting up the darkness.
Nationalisation suggested to save Red Cross Museum
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The director of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Museum in Geneva is calling for a national debate on the institution's future.
Climate: 224 Swiss companies announce CO2 reduction targets
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A total of 224 companies from Switzerland have joined the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi), committing to CO2 reduction targets that are in line with the Paris Climate Agreement.
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Ten laboratories in Switzerland can now carry out coronavirus tests, Health Minister Alain Berset announced on Wednesday.
Coronavirus: Head-shaking doctors and non-hand-shaking workers
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A day after the first confirmed Swiss case of coronavirus, some doctors have accused the government of “irresponsibly” underestimating the danger.
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